Covesion Ltd. played a central role in the recent successful sea trials of CPI TMD Technologies’ HARLEQUIN quantum-hybrid inertial navigation system. The work, conducted aboard the Trinity House vessel THV Galatea, represents the first real-world deployment of a locked laser system supporting cold-atom technology at sea, combining classical inertial systems with a quantum cold-atom accelerometer. This achievement demonstrates the viability of quantum sensors in challenging maritime environments, withstanding conditions ranging from calm seas to three-metre swells and 50 mph wind gusts, and provides reliable Positioning, Navigation, and Timing independent of GPS signals.
HARLEQUIN System and Sea Trial Deployment
The HARLEQUIN system, standing for High Accuracy Robust deployabLE Quantum Inertial Navigation, recently underwent successful sea trials led by CPI TMD Technologies. These trials represent a significant step in proving quantum sensors can function in challenging maritime environments, moving beyond laboratory settings. HARLEQUIN combines classical inertial systems with a quantum cold-atom accelerometer to provide high-precision measurements of acceleration and rotation, ensuring reliable Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) even when GPS is unavailable.
A key innovation in the HARLEQUIN system is the use of a grating-based Magneto-Optical Trap for atom interferometry on a moving vessel. The trials aboard the Trinity House vessel THV Galatea demonstrated stable performance of Covesion’s ruggedised locked-laser system, essential for cooling, trapping, and manipulating atoms. Data collected during sailing from Cardiff to the Irish coast, even with the ship at full speed and in three-metre swells, showed minimal degradation in stability despite mechanical and acoustic noise.
These sea trials, part of the wider HARLEQUIN-ST project funded by Innovate UK, confirm the suitability of Covesion’s photonic technologies for real-world deployment. The successful operation of the laser systems—installed on the ship’s tween deck amidst engines and tools—highlights the potential for deployable quantum PNT systems for maritime users, with future testing planned for technologies like optical clocks and gravity gradiometers.
Locked Laser System Performance at Sea
Recent sea trials successfully demonstrated the operation of a locked laser system as part of CPI TMD Technologies’ HARLEQUIN quantum-hybrid inertial navigation system. This marks the first real-world deployment of Covesion’s locked laser system supporting cold-atom technology at sea. The system, crucial for cooling, trapping, and manipulating atoms within the sensor, proved stable despite significant vessel motion, including three-metre swells and 50 mph winds. This achievement validates the potential for quantum sensors in challenging maritime environments.
The trials, conducted aboard the Trinity House vessel THV Galatea, focused on assessing laser performance under operational stresses. Specifically, the Covesion LL2-Rb source maintained stable frequency and power, exhibiting minimal degradation even while the ship operated at full speed. The system was installed on the tween deck, surrounded by engines and tools, a far cry from a controlled laboratory setting. Data collected mapped noise sources, magnetic variations, and correlated these with laser performance metrics.
These successful trials represent a key step towards deployable quantum Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems for maritime users. The ruggedised locked laser system’s performance confirms the suitability of Covesion’s photonic technologies for dynamic, real-world applications, going beyond research environments. This advance, funded by Innovate UK’s HARLEQUIN-ST project, paves the way for future demonstrations incorporating technologies like optical clocks and gravity gradiometers.
Advancing Quantum Technology for Real-World Use
Recent sea trials have demonstrated the viability of quantum technology outside of laboratory settings. CPI TMD Technologies’ HARLEQUIN system, a quantum-hybrid inertial navigation system, successfully operated aboard the Trinity House vessel THV Galatea, even in challenging conditions like three-metre swells and 50 mph winds. This achievement marks a key step in proving that quantum sensors can function effectively in dynamic, real-world maritime environments, paving the way for practical applications.
The HARLEQUIN system utilizes a grating-based Magneto-Optical Trap for atom interferometry, a world first on a maritime platform. Critical to its operation was a ruggedized locked-laser system supplied by Covesion, engineered to withstand vibration, temperature fluctuations, and magnetic interference. Data collected during the trials showed minimal degradation in laser stability, even with the ship at full speed, highlighting the resilience of the technology in harsh conditions.
These successful trials are part of the wider HARLEQUIN-ST project, funded by Innovate UK, and aim to develop deployable quantum Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems for maritime users. Future plans include testing additional technologies, such as optical clocks and gravity gradiometers. Covesion views the trial as confirmation of its photonic technologies’ suitability for deployment in dynamic environments, signaling progress towards widely deployable quantum systems.
